Bøger af Melissa McShane

For five years, Aderyn has waited to get the Call-the event when the system controlling her world grants her a class and appropriate skills to become an adventurer. When the system makes her a Warmaster, Aderyn eagerly sets out on her first journey. The problem? Her class is useless. No one believes a Warmaster is anything but a joke. They aren't strong fighters, they have no magic, and they don't have powerful skills. But Aderyn hasn't waited all these years to give up now. With the help of a young man from another world, she's going to prove this Warmaster can do anything.Read now or listen to the audiobook to join the adventure!

As a paladin and prime of the Dark Goddess, Ginnevra travels the world with her werewolf companion Eodan, protecting the innocent and destroying evil. Her latest mission: to escort an anointed to the holy city of Abraciabene to receive the highest ordination of the Goddess's servants-the first man ever to do so.Now Ginnevra and Eodan must guide their party of paladins and anointed on a monthlong journey through the badlands, struggling to maintain an uneasy peace within their company. Hounded by evil werewolves and followed by a mysterious creature only Ginnevra can see, her greatest challenge may be from the very man she is sworn to protect.

Fiona, cursed with the power to ignite fire in a country where magic is illegal, wants to start a new life for herself, far from the mistakes of her past. A case of mistaken identity tangles her fortunes with those of the mysterious Sebastian, who intends to stop a blackmailer from destroying his family.Asked to help Sebastian infiltrate a sacred temple to find the damning evidence, Fiona soon goes from reluctant companion to trusted ally.But Sebastian's secrets go deeper than Fiona realizes. What began as a simple heist becomes a web of intrigue entangling the governments of two countries.As Fiona's deceptions grow deeper, she must find a way to redeem her honor-and embrace a future she believes impossible.

A SPOT OF BLACKMAILFor months, Sienne and her scrapper team have faced many challenges in their quest to free Alaric's people from the wizard enslaving them. But when a new, unexpected challenge threatens to end their quest, the companions have no choice but to give in to a blackmailer's demand: retrieve an ancient stone artifact from an abandoned village.Their new adventure takes them north to the edges of the Empty Lands, where monsters roam free and even the land is dangerous. Someone else wants what they're after-someone who will kill to get it. And in a deserted castle past the borders of civilization, the companions encounter evil unlike any they've fought before.A thrilling adventure of powerful magic, dangerous foes, and the triumph of free will.

The wizard Sienne hopes to make a name for herself as a scrapper-someone who scours the ruins of the Empty Lands for treasure and lost magical artifacts. But first she must find someone willing to take a chance on a desperate beginner.When Sienne finally catches a break, she becomes part of a ragtag group of adventurers-a desperate scrapper named Dianthe, her wizard-hating partner Alaric, the drunk priest Perrin, and a young fighter named Kalanath.But finding the treasure proves only the beginning. They must learn to work together as a team. Their very survival may depend on it.An epic adventure of daring quests, second chances, and the power of friendship.

Zara North, Queen of Tremontane, has the ability to unconsciously heal herself-a magic that also keeps her from aging. Faced with the reality that public knowledge of her magic could destroy her family's dynasty and cost them the Crown, she faked her own death and set out to make a new life for herself, far from the capital and the family she loved. Never settling anywhere for long, Zara became an exile in her own country.Now, sixty years after her "death," Zara's ageless face forces her to leave her home yet again. Wanting something different from the quiet life she led for decades, she sets sail for the distant continent of Dineh-Karit, reclusive and alien. When unexpected catastrophe strikes, it strands Zara and a handful of her fellow voyagers in the jungles of Dineh-Karit. Far from civilization, their only guide a reluctant Tremontanan expatriate who has his own reasons for being there, the castaways struggle for survival and to return home.But Zara, entrusted with a secret by a dying man, finds herself caught between the woman she has become and the Queen she used to be. As an implacable enemy bent on retrieving the secret-a mysterious magical object-draws ever closer, Zara realizes her companions' survival depends on Zara's ability to lead them as she once did a nation. With an identity and a magical secret she still cannot reveal, Zara discovers depths in herself she thought were long gone-and gains a future she never expected.

When unquiet ghosts walk the earth, the servants of Atenas, God of Death, guide them to their final rest in His domain. For six years, Zerafine, priestess of Atenas, and her companion Gerrard have walked the known world, bringing peace to the dead and fair judgment to the living. Hated and feared as a death-bringer by many, Zerafine has never regretted her decision to serve Atenas and never doubted her ability to carry out His will.Until now.An unexpected assignment from the Archpriest of Atenas sends Zerafine and Gerrard to Portena, the oldest city in the world, in pursuit of a kind of ghost no one has ever seen before: spirits that vanish before they can be sent to Atenas's court, appearing and reappearing at random. As emissary of Atenas, Zerafine's task is to discover the true nature of these ghosts and find a way to bring them peace. But Zerafine's task puts her at odds not only with the rulers of Portena, but with the high priest of another God, and she soon realizes that all is not as it seems in the great city. If Zerafine fails to learn the truth and put these ghosts to rest, it could mean disaster not only for Portena, but for the world.

London, 1812. Sophia Westlake is an Extraordinary Seer, gifted with the ability to See past, present and future in Dreams and Visions. When she accuses a prominent politician, Lord Endicott, of embezzling from the Army, her Dream is "proved" false and she is disgraced, her reputation ruined. Furious and desperate, Sophia takes the only course left to her: she sets out to discover Lord Endicott's criminal enterprises and bring him to justice. Sophia's allies are few, but loyal. Cecy, her best friend, supports Sophia in her quest, while her cousin Lady Daphne, an irrepressible Extraordinary Bounder, is always ready for a challenge. And always watching her is the mysterious Mr. Rutledge, who claims to be interested in Sophia's friendship-and possibly more than that-but who has an agenda of his own. But as Sophia delves deeper into prophetic Dreams, Cecy and Daphne begin to fear for Sophia's health and sanity. Driven to collapse by her frequent Dreaming, Sophia is forced to reevaluate her motives: does she want Lord Endicott brought to justice, or is it revenge she seeks? Sophia's Dreams and Visions are leading her to just one place: the destruction of Lord Endicott. But the cost of her vengeance may be too high-and may demand the sacrifice of her own life.

An assignment to mediate a religious conflict takes the paladin Ginnevra and her werewolf companion Eodan to the city-state of Quinizelle, site of Ginnevra's greatest failure. Four years earlier, a bandit attack caused the death of the king's sister, the woman Ginnevra's paladin company was sworn to protect, and nearly cost Ginnevra her life.Now, Ginnevra's former best friend returns, claiming to have proof of what really happened four years ago. Caught between past tragedy and present conflict, Ginnevra must stop Quinizelle from descending into religious war-and face truths she wishes had never come to light.

Ten years after joining with the oracular bookstore Abernathy's to become an oracle herself, Helena Campbell has a perfect life: a loving husband, three wonderful children who share her gift, and a calling she loves. But a chance encounter reveals a secret conflict between adepts who wield magic unlike anything she has ever seen and a powerful cabal that wants to rule the world. For a thousand years, the adepts have guarded the way to the realm of Faerie, preventing elves from entering and destroying our world. But the barrier is weakening. As the evil cabal works to bring it crashing down, the conflict requires Helena to use her gift against them-but will the power of the oracle be enough to stop an invasion?

Paladin of the Goddess Ginnevra Cassaline and her companion, the werewolf Eodan, want to teach people the truth about how good werewolves turn their backs on the Goddess's enemy, the Bright One. But as a new challenge arises, they must temporarily set aside their personal quest. Men and women are going missing in the city of Uparde, including Ginnevra's aunt, a retired paladin, and Revered Parenogne, leader of Uparde's religious community.When Ginnevra receives responsibility for solving the mystery, the task draws Ginnevra and Eodan deeper into the secrets at the heart of the city. Between their conflict with someone intent on getting credit for finding the lost, and the ongoing interference of a mysterious woman apparently gifted with the Goddess's power, can Ginnevra discover the truth before time runs out for all the missing?

As a royal wedding draws near, relations between humans and dragons are better than ever. Even the discovery that an ancient, evil entity was behind human animosity toward dragons cannot stop the dragon Lamprophyre and her human friend Prince Rokshan from feeling victorious. But the entity still exists, and its next attack targets Lamprophyre directly, using magic that no one alive has ever seen before.Virtually helpless and newly vulnerable to the entity's attacks, Lamprophyre must discover a way to stop an enemy she cannot see, whose minions lurk in every shadow, while searching for a way to reverse what the entity did to her. And time is running out.She has to be lucky all the time. Her enemy only has to be lucky once.

As a paladin of the Dark Goddess, sworn to protect humanity against the Goddess's evil sister the Bright One, Ginnevra has dedicated her life to fighting monsters, especially the werewolves who are the pinnacle of the evil goddess's creation. But when a fatal confrontation seems to put her under the Goddess's condemnation, Ginnevra must leave her paladin company to discover why. In a village plagued by monsters on the edge of civilization, Ginnevra believes she understands what she faces. But when she meets a werewolf who challenges her understanding of who monsters really are, the encounter tests her faith to its limit. And when she learns the truth about the monsters attacking the village, she must choose between doing her duty and forging a new path-one that may condemn her forever.

"Maybe it's just that this time of year, when it's dark and cold and the world feels like it's trying to kill us, we get the urge to band together and fight back." This winter season, curl up with a collection of stories from this world and others. Includes a Tremontane holiday novella and the short story "Gift of the Oracle," returning readers to the world of The Last Oracle.

LONDON, 1816. After many years confined to an asylum when her ability to sense the emotions of others drove her temporarily mad, Lydia Wescott, Extraordinary Discerner, now serves England as a secret agent. Recruited by the Duke of Craythorne to stop a threat to the King of England, Lydia travels to the American colonies, where intrigue and treason threaten on every side. Lydia wants nothing more than to put her Discerner's talent to good use, but her hard-won control could be an illusion. As Lydia and Craythorne close in on the traitors, Lydia's talent may be the downfall not only of England's enemies, but of herself.

LONDON, 1815. Home after Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo, Clemency, Countess of Ashford, looks forward to resuming a quiet life. But her past refuses to stay in the past. Fighting memories, the Extraordinary Mover takes to the skies by night, secretly bringing criminals to justice.When a rash of bombings strikes London, the crisis entangles Clemency in the intrigue centered on the bomber's terrible demands: remove all Extraordinaries from their positions of power, or the city will burn. As Clemency pursues this most dangerous criminal, her past and present collide, forcing her not only to save London, but also to save herself.

Calcutta, 1813. Lady Daphne St. Clair, who as an Extraordinary Bounder is capable of transporting herself anywhere in the world with a thought, has longed to serve in the Army for years. But an unexpected weakness at the sight of blood makes her responsible for a good man's death in battle. Unable to serve on the battlefield, Daphne is sent to India to be transportation for the Governor-General's wife and children. In disgrace, Daphne fears she will never achieve the fame and glory she has worked so hard for.A chance encounter with Captain Phineas Fletcher, attached to the Honourable East India Company as a troubleshooter and investigator, leads to Daphne being given a new opportunity: help Captain Fletcher discover the truth behind a series of strange occurrences in the town of Madhyapatnam. Daphne is willing to do anything to restore her reputation, even something as small as Captain Fletcher's investigation. As the days progress, her attachment to the members of the team grows deeper, as does her growing attraction to the captain.But as Daphne and Captain Fletcher dig deeper into the mystery, the truth turns out to be much more sinister than anyone imagined. Dark currents run deep beneath the pleasant surface of Madhyapatnam, and the echoes of a twenty-year-old story threaten not only the Company's rule over the town, but the safety and well-being of everyone in it. Soon only Daphne's talent and courage stand between Madhyapatnam and the evil that threatens to overwhelm it.

Veronica North, quiet and shy widow of the King of Tremontane, spends her days drifting from one charitable cause to another. Longing for something different, she returns to the Scholia, foremost educational institution in the country, to complete her education. At fifty, she is by far the oldest student there, but soon makes a place for herself within the community.When a friend and fellow student is murdered, the tragedy draws Veronica into the investigation. Despite official warnings to leave it alone, Veronica's determination to obtain justice for her friend brings her ever closer to the truth-and leads her to discover a side of herself she never knew existed.

Spain, 1814. The warrior woman Amaya, born Imelda Salazar, has the power to alter bodies with a touch-to heal, or to destroy. Having left behind her Inca rescuers for a new life in England, she finds herself lost in this new world, surrounded by people who insist she use her talent in ways at odds with her warrior upbringing.When the opportunity to find her father's family arises, Amaya journeys to Spain, hopeful of finding the truth about her past. But in Spain, everyone she meets wants to control her: the Spanish king wishes her talent for himself, her grandfather demands she take up her lawful inheritance, and a mysterious revolutionary wants her to fight for Spanish independence at his side. With conflicting demands on every side, Amaya must take control of her own destiny and discover who she truly is.

In 1812, Elinor Pembroke wakes to find her bedchamber in flames-and extinguishes them with a thought. As an Extraordinary, gifted with powerful magical talent, she is respected and feared, but her father intends to control her and her talent by forcing her to marry where he insists. Trapped between the choices of a loveless marriage or living penniless and dependent on her parents, Elinor takes a third path: she joins the Royal Navy.Assigned to serve under Captain Miles Ramsay aboard the frigate Athena, she turns her fiery talent on England's enemies, vicious pirates preying on English ships in the Caribbean. At first feared by her shipmates, a growing number of victories make her truly part of Athena's crew and bring her joy in her fire. But as her power grows and changes in unexpected ways, Elinor's ability to control it is challenged.She may have the power to destroy her enemies utterly-but could it be at the cost of her own life?

PERU, 1815. Bess Hanley, fresh from service with England's War Office and grieving the loss of her dearest friend, embarks on a sea voyage that ends in disaster. Shipwrecked off the coast of Peru, Bess's Extraordinary ability to mentally communicate with anyone is not enough to prevent her from being kidnapped by a lost tribe of Incas.An Inca Seer's prophecy that Bess will help the Incas regain their dominance over South America tangles Bess in a political struggle that may mean her death. With the help of her Speaker friends, a mysterious Inca warrior woman, and a man who keeps his identity secret, Bess will try to stop a war-and fall in love with a man she has never met.

AN UNCERTAIN QUEENElspeth North, born and raised far from her Tremontanan homeland, wants nothing more than the peaceful, holy life of a priestess. Although born a princess, she believes her father's abdication means politics and intrigue have nothing to do with her. But her cousin King Francis's untimely death and a twist of Tremontanan law changes her whole life...and makes Elspeth Queen of Tremontane.With no formal training, no experience, and very little support, Elspeth must learn the complex rules and traditions of a role she never expected to fill, and she must learn them fast-because the fate of a kingdom lies in her hands.

Where THE CROWN OF TREMONTANE and THE SAGA OF WILLOW NORTH leave off, TALES OF THE CROWN begins...This SPOILER-FILLED COMPANION volume to the Tremontane novels contains stories, novellas, scenes, and excerpts that never made it into the books! Here you will find: Four new short stories revealing details of the lives of Willow, Zara, Telaine, and othersHalf a dozen scenes from the books, retold from other characters' points of viewAn alternate version of Rider of the Crown, told from Jeffrey North's perspectiveThe complete text of the four-part novella Exile of the CrownThe short stories "Long Live the Queen" and "Night Be My Guardian," previously published in Servant of the Crown and Agent of the CrownThe Tremontane Encyclopedia, with background information on the geography, history, and customs of the world of TremontaneWhen you've read the novels of Tremontane, pick up TALES OF THE CROWN for an enhanced reading experience!

Helena and the oracular bookstore Abernathy's stopped an attack by the alien invaders' human allies and destroyed their attempt at a second oracle, giving the Wardens much-needed victories. Now, after months of fighting a defensive war, the Wardens plan a direct assault on the enemy stronghold.But as the battle approaches, Abernathy's has other plans. The oracle directs Helena to contact four ordinary people with extraordinary talents whose abilities will change the course of the war.Convincing them to join the fight challenges Helena's persuasive powers to the extreme. If she fails, it will mean the deaths of thousands-including those Helena loves most.

"As the custodian of the oracular bookstore Abernathy's, Helena has faced any number of challenges in learning her new role. But when the store begins giving out false prophecies, Helena comes up against her greatest challenge yet: how can she fix Abernathy's when she doesn't truly know how it works?Armed only with a few special talents and her desire to protect her magical charge, and with the assistance of her best friend Viv, her reluctant assistant Judy, and the enigmatic and handsome Malcolm Campbell, Helena navigates the treacherous depths of the magical world, where secret enemies lurk behind illusions capable of fooling even the most powerful of magical entities. Helena is the only one who can see past those illusions, but will her abilities prove strong enough to save the oracle?"--Back cover.

When humans' trusted allies turn on them, nowhere is safe...For over seventy years, the use of familiars-monsters bound by magic to fight beside humans in the Long War-divided magery into two factions. Now, the monsters strike back.As Helena prepares for the Conference of Neutralities, reports of familiars breaking their bonds to attack and kill their masters raise tensions between the factions to an unprecedented high.Faced with the challenge of keeping her relationship with Malcolm Campbell secret from more than a hundred of her fellow custodians, Helena must also protect herself from rogue familiars-and they're closer than she thinks.

When the oracle behaves strangely, Helena is its only hope.With the Mercy's attacks on the Wardens neutralized, Helena prepares for her upcoming wedding to Malcolm Campbell. But when Helena steps into the oracle's space and finds herself somewhere unfamiliar, the mystery threatens to destroy the Wardens' tentative peace.Having no explanation for the oracle's strange behavior, Helena reaches out to a new ally she hopes can answer her questions. Is the oracle trying to communicate with her? Is it under attack again?Or is Helena traveling through time?

War is coming. And Helena is at the heart of it.With a successful challenge to the Accords behind her, and her relationship with Malcolm Campbell made public, Helena Davies' life seems perfect. Then the attacks begin.As the enemy magi known as the Mercy wreak havoc on Warden strongholds, Helena and the oracular bookstore Abernathy's play their role in guiding the Wardens. But the oracle knows a deadly secret, one Helena struggles to interpret while the enemy draws nearer. And the one question she needs the answer to is the one question the oracle will not answer: Who are the weavers?

THE FINAL CHALLENGEWith their quest nearly over and the coming of age ritual complete, Sienne and her companions prepare to challenge the wizard who enslaved Alaric's people. But a message from an unexpected source reveals terrible news about the identity of the wizard's latest hostage...Alaric's beloved younger sister.In a desperate attempt to save her life and destroy the wizard, the companions travel to a secret valley in the far north, challenging the combined might of the enslaved unicorns and the most powerful wizard in the world. All their adventures have led them to this moment-but nothing has prepared them for what comes next.The epic conclusion to the Company of Strangers series, full of terrible danger and heroic sacrifice.